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Investigation continues after Dennis Kucinich finds Cuyahoga County Board of Elections building unlocked

Updated September 4, 2017 at 9:00 AM;Posted September 3, 2017 at 3:29 PM

Dennis Kucinich stands outside the open back door of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Saturday. Kucinich went to the building to cast an early vote for the Sept. 12 primary, but found the building unlocked, unoccupied and unguarded. The Board of Elections said Sunday that the investigation into how this happened continues.

Dennis Kucinich stands outside the open back door of the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections on Saturday. Kucinich went to the building to cast an early vote for the Sept. 12 primary, but found the building unlocked, unoccupied and unguarded. The Board of Elections said Sunday that the investigation into how this happened continues.(David I. Kelley)

The Board of Elections put out a statement Sunday saying that there is an ongoing investigation into why the building, at the intersection of East 30th Street and Euclid Avenue, wasn't secure. The Cuyahoga County Protective Services - a divison of the county sheriff's office - is working with the board to "review and upgrade the physical security" of the building.

Board officials affirmed that they are sure no one could access ballots cast ahead of the Sept. 12 primary election.

"We can confirm with certainty that no tampering with voted or unvoted ballots took place, nor any other action that would compromise the integrity of the... primary election," the statement reads.

Ballots are stored in double-locked rooms, and those rooms were found to be locked before the close of business, the statement says. Board of Elections staff accounted for all ballots after authorities learned the building was unlocked Saturday, and no ballots were tampered with.

Kucinich went to the Board of Elections building about 2:15 p.m. Saturday to cast an early ballot for the Sept. 12 primary. He walked into the building and an alarm sounded, he said.

After taking the elevator up several floors to try and find someone, he realized the building was closed yet unlocked and unguarded. Cuyahoga County Protective Services officials and Cleveland police arrived after they were alerted to the alarm.

Kucinich took to Twitter to share pieces of his story.

In #Cleveland at #Cty Bd of Elections. I went to vote, opened door, entered bldg, and discovered no one was in the bldg ! Door was open!!!

"At a time when people are very concerned about the integrity of elections, it's alarming that the door to the Board of Elections was open, that the building was not guarded," he said.

The Board of Elections said that any necessary security upgrades for the building will be made "immediately."

"Both of Board of Elections and the County of Cuyahoga are committed to fair and transparent elections," the release says, "and we will work with County Executive Budish's administration and with Sheriff Pinkney to ensure that our commitment is protected with the utmost safeguards."